Jan. 4, 2017 – In a last-ditch effort to thwart the Obama administration’s push of a deeply flawed MSHA workplace exams proposal, NSSGA officials met with the White House’s Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Info and Regulatory Information (OIRA) to stress that the rule is not necessary and that current regulations are sufficient to protect workers in quarries.…
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Inside Info on Chao
Dec. 21, 2016 – According to Politico, if the Senate confirms her as transportation secretary, Elaine Chao will focus on ensuring that the DOT effectively enforces safety regulations, streamlining the processes for infrastructure projects and fairly treating both rural and urban areas of the country. Chao outlined the issues she wants to tackle as the head of the DOT for a…
Read MoreWhich Loader has the Highest Retained Value?
EquipmentWatch, which provides data, software and insights for the heavy equipment industry, announced the finalists for the 2nd annual Highest Retained Value Awards. The awards recognize manufacturers in 28 heavy equipment categories – spanning the construction, agriculture and lift/access manufacturing sectors – for products that show the highest retained value over the last five years. The finalists in the Large…
Read MoreIronDirect’s On-Line Product Demo
Dec. 12. 2016 – On December 15 at 10 a.m. EST, IronDirect is hosting a product demonstration at its Customer Experience Center in Asheville, N.C. During the event, the company will showcase its full line of value-priced excavators, wheel loaders and bulldozers, as well as offer a peek at its Paladin attachment lineup, Case tractor and Miskin scraper. The event will…
Read MoreCall-to-Action for Industry Suicide Prevention
Dec. 7, 2016 – With more than 15 organizations pledging support, the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention initiated plans to shine a light on creating a zero-suicide industry. The Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) established the Alliance with the goal of providing and disseminating information and resources for suicide prevention and mental health promotion in construction. Alliance member organizations…
Read MoreHave a Blast With Help from Rock Products
Nov. 11, 2016 – Academy Blasting is offering its popular “Mechanics of Rock Blasting” course to Rock Products’ readers at a special 10 percent discount. Getting the discount is easy. First, create an Account on AcademyBlasting.com. Go to the Courses tab and select Mechanics of Rock Blasting. Add this course to your cart and proceed to check-out. Enter the code “RockProducts”…
Read MoreAmericans Gassed Up This Summer
Nov. 3, 2016 – A lot of gas tax money was collected this summer. U.S. gasoline consumption rose to 9.7 million barrels a day in June, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). That’s a new one-month high, exceeding the last one established in July 2007, when consumption hit 9.6 million barrels a day. For all of summer 2016,…
Read MoreInfrastructure as an Issue
Oct. 24, 2016 – Well, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton agree on one thing: Our roads and bridges are a mess. According to news reports, Trump finally produced an infrastructure document. He says he would get a bill introduced during his first 100 days in office that would “spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years.” Trump promises the…
Read MoreDramatic Flood Video
Oct. 14, 2016 – Hurricane Matthew did untold damage up and down the Atlantic coast, and aggregates operations were not immune. Check out this dramatic video footage, taken by WRAL television, of a Hanson operation near Rocky Mount, N.C., taking on billions of gallons of flood water. Truly a devastating storm and one that will take many months of recovery…
Read MoreGoing From Big to Bigger
Oct. 4, 2016 – I just returned from Las Vegas, where I attended MINExpo. It was a great show, with vibrant attendance and a lot of product introductions. Even with a down coal industry and a flatlined mining industry, the show was exceptional. And there were a lot of aggregates guys there which was great to see. International attendance was also…
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